For The LOVE of Viognier                                             July 27, 2019


We made our first Viognier in 2017 and have so enjoyed the food pairings.
With our second release this month, we gathered Viognier lovers for a blind tasting and five course Dinner to show case our 2018 Russian River Viognier.

The blind tasting consisted of five viognier's including ours. It was much harder to find viognier's from different corners of the world currently. I looked in San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley and found enough selection with varied price points to make it interesting. And it was! The response was great and the wines were a good spectrum of characteristics of this wonderful varietal.

 

         
From $15 - $75, from Rhone to Languedoc-Roussillon, from Willamette to San Luis Obispo with a Russian River in between. The wines were really fun and each of them were favored by some of the guests.

Characteristics from salty, bacon fat, honey, floral, peach fuzz, vanilla, mineral, creamy, viscosity, to mango. A lot of fun notes from this eclectic group of wines. We used every glass in the room and now the food....

 

First course - carrot salad with feta, mint and harissa. A truly great combination and FAB- u-lous with our Viognier! Every morsel was enjoyed, what a great start. Recipe will be added to our web site soon.

 

Next up, seared scallops with fennel pollen on fennel puree, blood orange slice and sauce with nicoise olives, a favorite dish of the night.

 

 

We added 2 other wines to the mix to see how well our menu pairings panned out. Our Manchester Ridge Pinot Noir from Mendocino 2017 and our 2015 Russian River Valley which is a blend of three vineyards.
The Mendocino Pinot definitely competed with the Viognier but the RRV was not in the competition even though it was enjoyed.

Next course was fresh peach, burrata, prosciutto with our favorite local Nightengale Baguette. This is a wonderful combination of flavors that can go well with many white wines. The peach stears it towards Viognier but Rose' would work well also.

 

One of our favorite dishes to make is curry. We enjoy our Pinot's with a variety of curry dishes as well as Viognier. Tonight's Chicken Coconut Curry is mellow on the spice served with quinoa and really well paired with viognier.

 

 

At this point everyone was slowing down on eating and drinking, we only have one more tiny sweet treat to finish, a cookie with peach jam, a special cheese delivered by Freestone Artisan Cheese shop and a late harvest viognier.

 

And thus another fun night of food, wine and great people is done. Just dishes and clean up left.

Next month - Oyster Palooza and a BBQ. Life is good.

 

 

 

            What a June!


We had two beautiful and very different Events this month, our first Annual Golf Tournament and 'Lunch in the Vineyard' at Ruxton Ranch. Both wonderful days of fun, laughter, wine / food and great people.

We had our golf date booked in June for months in advance. We had been wanting to host a golf tournament for years and the day was finally here. Mother nature through us a huge curve ball: 100 degrees even in the Redwoods at Northwood Golf Course in Monte Rio. None the less, everyone showed up their game face on in shorts prepared. We offered water spritz and ice cold water and wine to assist.

 

           Such a great group of sportsmen willing to swing in the heat!

 

               Longest drive and closest to the pin prize options. One family took the women's longest drive and the men's closest to the pin.

              
                                           

The wine cart was very popular, offering chilled water spritz, cold rose' , water and gewurtz

 

 

 

A very fun afternoon that we will definitely plan again next year. Hopefully the temperatures will be a little lower.

 

Part Two of June 2019

 

"Lunch in the Vineyard" at Ruxton Ranch

 

This vineyard came to us in 2005 via Mat's connection with the Dutton Ranch who farm the Vineyard. George, Bill and Jack, the three Ruxton brothers from the Bay area, whom grew up coming to the ranch for summer vacation have been consistently connected to the land.

The only remaining brother from our early contracts is Bill alongside his wife Jan, their nephew Scott and one other niece from Jack are the current land owners, all Ruxton's.

 

Here 14 years later, we're still purchasing the same original Pinot planting from 1999, my personal favorite Pinot. They're 55 acre lot is so picturesque, at a high elevation looking east at the Mayacama mountain range that divides Sonoma and Napa counties.

 

 

 

The table is set in the only cool spot on the property, in the barn.

Bill Ruxton and his wife of 67 years marriage, welcomed our guest's.

 We gathered at the top of the property under a big redwood tree that allowed some shade.

 Next up, everyone followed Mat down the side of the vineyard to view the section that we purchase. Unfortunately it was not as clear as it can be.

                                
One of the inspirations for these lunches, this being our second, is the chef. Matt Masera is extended family of the Ruxton's and a very talented Bay area chef who is currently working with Tyler Florence. We were so thrilled to have him for our second vineyard lunch!

He started everyone off with a mushroom pate crostini and we poured the 2018 rose' of pinot and 2018 gewurz to pair.
                           

     

 

In the ranch house is the classic...

 Setting the chef's up for taste testing in the kitchen.

Everyone sat down to a table with a view on both sides,

one of the vineyard and the other of fruit trees.

 

 

And lunch is served - Kale salad so finely chopped with sour cherry, parmesan and walnuts.

               Grilled peaches, burrata, arugula, pine nut, bacon, crispy shallot

 Roasted potato salad and

 16 hour sous vide tri tip with santa maria dry rub with

Ruxton 2015 Pinot Noir 

Not to be missed was the finisher, a blueberry coffee cake that was not     too sweet, beautifully moist and enjoyed!

                   Table of happy diners toasting the day at Ruxton Ranch.

 

The wine bottles consumed were lined up on display, three vintages of Ruxton from 2013, 2014 and 2015, plus a magnum of 2010 Ruxton, 2018 Rose' of Pinot and 2018 Gewurtz.

 

 

And that was our June of 2019. 

Rose' in May

We just released our 2018 Rose' of Pinot Noir. This evening was a tribute to Rose' from Sonoma county and the great food pairings that may be produced. Even though the weather pretty much sucked, the food, wine and company were bright and cheery like Rose'.

We started the evening with a little toast to rose' with our 2014 Brut Rose' and truffle potato chips.

Once we sat down, everyone was welcomed with 4 glasses of Rose'. 4 different varietals and producers, all from Sonoma County. The guesses were varied and the favorites were also.

 

We were all rose' inside the Tasting Room even though the weather did not co operate.

With Mat being away for a sales trip in Michigan, we asked our chef friend Tricia Brown to guest chef. She was a perfect choice as a serious lover of Rose' and wine in general. Plus she loves to pair wine and food and create wine specific menu's.

After the blind tasting we introduced the first course and changed the wines up. Focusing on all Paul Mathew wines -
2018 Rose' / 2018 Gewurztraminer / 2017 Manchester Ridge Pinot Noir.

1st course an Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche with Avocado Puree.

Even though the Gewurz won the best pairing, the Rose' was great to pair as well.

2nd course, Lemongrass Spring Pea Bisque with Proscuitto Crisp. This soup had a beautiful zing of citrus, creamy delicate texture and the prosciutto changed it from being totally Rose' to easily favored with our 2017 Manchester Pinot Noir.

Course 3, Flatbread- Charred Scallion Goat Cheese, Zucchini, Pickled Spring Onions, Nova Lox.
Rose' and Pinot tied for 1st place pairing. Some people just wanna drink Pinot. We have always found that.

 Still raining...

 Fourth course, Lamb Ricotta Meatballs, Tzatiki Sauce, Lemon Orzo with Pine Nuts, Herbs. The Pinot won the best pairing but again, the Rose' stood up to all the flavors just fine.

 

As always, everyone has fun, a lot of wine is consumed. Something new has been experienced with food and wine and the friends that arrived left with many more friends when they departed!
Wine brings people together in ways that might not happen.

It was such a pleasure to have the company and help of my niece and god daughter here in Sonoma County. She was even inspired enough by the Rose' to take to the chalk board!

 

And next month....we'll be focusing on our 1st Annual Golf Tournament and our 2nd 'Lunch in the Vineyard'. Lots going on, an lets hope the sun is here to stay!!!